There are no great replacement options available now for embattled New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.
The start to the Mets' 2026 campaign has been a complete disaster. Heading into tonight's series opener against the Washington Nationals, they are tied for the worst record in baseball at 9-19. Recently the club has reached its lowest point after losing 12 matches, which will be considered one of the worst in the team's history.
To make matters worse, at this time a year ago they had the best record in baseball. That is, they suffered a massive decline at the end of the season under manager Carlos Mendoza. The captain needed a fast start with this hugely expensive team to quell speculation about his job. Now, it looks like it's only going to be a matter of time before he's ousted.
Changing a manager during a season is a very difficult task. However, last week the Boston Red Sox presented a golden opportunity for the Mets when they surprisingly fired manager Alex Cora after a 10–17 start. Most people in and around Boston feel that their struggles are due to the team built by CBO Craig Breslow, not Cora's coaching.
Alex Cora is no longer an option for the New York Mets' replacement for Carlos Mendoza
The Red Sox's decision opened the door for the Mets to go with a manager who has a World Series win (2018) and three trips to the playoffs on his resume. Unfortunately, Cora will no longer be an option for New York. At least not for the rest of the season.
USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported, "Alex Cora was offered the Philadelphia Phillies managerial job before Don Mattingly, but he declined it." "He has decided to spend time with his family."
The Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday after leading his team to an equally poor 9-19 start this season.
If Cora wasn't willing to take the job for a talent-rich Phillies team, it's highly unlikely he would take the same position with the Mets. Although he could still become the next manager of either team, this would not happen until after the season.
